Vemareddy at 20:47, 18 June 2025

2025-06-18T20:47:54Z

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{{Short description|Indian Air Force Air Marshal}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Air Marshal P. K. Desai
| honorific_suffix = PVSM AVSM VSM
| image =
| birth_date = November 12, 1944
| birth_place = [[Navsari]], [[Gujarat]], [[India]]
| birth_name = Prakashchandra Khandubhai Desai
| allegiance = {{Country|India}}
| branch = {{Air force|India}}
| rank = [[File:India-AirForce-OF-8-collected.svg|30px]] [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]]
| servicenumber = 10078 AE(M)
| commands = AFS [[Chakeri]]
| awards = [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]<br>[[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]<br>[[Vishisht Seva Medal]]
| alma_mater = [[Defence Services Staff College]]
| spouse = Neena Desai
}}

'''[[Air marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] P. K. Desai''' '''[[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]] [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]] [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]]''' (born November 12, 1944) is a retired officer of the [[Indian Air Force]] (IAF).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Service Record for Air Marshal Prakashchandra Khandubhai Desai 10078 AE(M) at Bharat Rakshak.com |url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/10078 |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=Bharat Rakshak |language=en-gb}}</ref> He served in the IAF from 1966 to 2004. Desai was [[Air officer commanding|Air Officer Commanding]] of Air Force Station [[Chakeri]] in [[Kanpur]], and additionally served as Senior Maintenance Staff Officer of [[Maintenance Command]] in [[Nagpur]] and as Assistant Chief of Air Staff Engineering at Air Headquarters in [[New Delhi]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Khandekar |first=A. Krupakaran, P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MT2BEAAAQBAJ |title=History of Maintenance of Indian Air Force 1977-2016: 12 Aeronautical Engineers' Course |date=2022-08-13 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=979-8-88749-925-3 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=90-6DQAAQBAJ |title=Indian Air Force: The Maintenance Paradigm: The Maintenance Paradigm |date=2013-01-15 |publisher=KW Publishers Pvt Ltd |isbn=978-93-85714-97-9 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Khandekar |first=Prashant |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BRStDwAAQBAJ |title=Under the Wings, On the Tarmac: A SERVICEGRAPHY OF AN IAF ENGINEER |date=2019-09-04 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=978-1-64546-823-3 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Youth to get chances in aviation sector |url=https://m.tribuneindia.com/2004/20041017/cth2.htm#1}}</ref>

==Scientific contribution==
Desai worked on research and development aspects of indigenisation of the IAF. He was chair of [[Aeronautical Society of India]] ([[Uttar Pradesh]] and [[Bihar]]).<ref>{{Cite book |last=India |first=Aeronautical Society of |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C05WAAAAMAAJ |title=The Journal of the Aeronautical Society of India |date=2000 |publisher=Aeronautical Society of India |language=en}}</ref> He also served on scientific committees at [[National Aerospace Laboratories|CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories]] (CSIR-NAL) and Indian Society of Non-Destructive Testing (ISNDT).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=NDE Methodologies for Examination of Tail Rotor Blades of Helicopters |url=https://www.ndt.net/article/wcndt00/papers/idn340/idn340.htm |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=www.ndt.net}}</ref>

==Works==
• Ripudaman Singh and P. K. Desai. Metallic Birds: The Life Beyond. India Defense Review. Vol 12 (1). Editor: Major General Afsir Karim AVSM (retd.). ISBN 81-7062-275-1.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Verma |first=Bharat |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5FnbfXHqI9IC |title=Indian Defence Review |publisher=Lancer Publishers |language=en}}</ref>

• P. K. Desai and C. Mohanty. Pragmatic Approach to Indigenisation: Case Studies of Airborne Items. Aerospace Manufacturing Technology. Editors: N. K. Naik, Kanchan Biswas, G. C. Popli.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UthLRAEB16AC |title=Aerospace Manufacturing Technology |date=1997 |publisher=Allied Publishers |isbn=978-81-7023-750-1 |language=en}}</ref>

• P. K. Desai. Life Extension of Aircraft Components, An IAF Perspective.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Life Extension of Aircraft Components - An IAF Perspective. P.K. DESAI |url=https://eprints.nmlindia.org/2762/1/18-23.PDF}}</ref>

==Diplomatic service==
Desai served as Deputy [[Military attaché|Air Attache]] at [[List of diplomatic missions of India|Indian Embassy]] in [[Moscow]]. Later, he was part of several Indian delegations to [[Russia]] and [[Ukraine]], and completed defense contracts successfully.<ref name=":0" /> He was a member of Indian delegation to Russia led by the then Defense Minister [[George Fernandes]] in 2002.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2002-04-09 |title=George has a big shopping list for Moscow trip |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/george-has-a-big-shopping-list-for-moscow-trip/articleshow/6253953.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-03-04 |issn=0013-0389}}</ref>

==Honours and decorations==
The [[Government of India]] conferred on Desai [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]] (PVSM), [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]] (AVSM) and [[Vishisht Seva Medal]] (VSM).<ref name=":0" />
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|{{Ribbon devices|ribbon=Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|ribbon=Ati Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|ribbon=Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Vishisht Seva Medal]]
|}

==Post-retirement==
Desai is the President of Air Force Association of Gujarat headquartered in [[Ahmedabad]] since retirement from the IAF.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-01-19 |title=IAF officers call for war memorial at Gandhinagar |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/iaf-officers-call-for-war-memorial-at-gandhinagar/ |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2019-09-16 |title=Celebrations of formation day of Air Force Association Gujarat Branch |url=https://connectgujarat.com/celebrations-of-formation-day-of-air-force-association-gujarat-branch/ |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=connectgujarat.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-13 |title=Air Force Assn, Gujarat Branch hosts Late Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon PVC Annual Memorial Lectures |url=https://navjeevanexpress.com/air-force-assn-gujarat-branch-hosts-late-flying-officer-nirmal-jit-singh-sekhon-pvc-annual-memorial-lectures/ |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=Navjeevan Express |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-06-14 |title=અમદાવાદ ખાતે ભૂતપૂર્વ આર્મિમેન દ્વારા વિરોધ પ્રદર્શન કરાયુ |url=https://gujarati.news18.com/news/politics/protests-by-former-armimena-funds-15503.html |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=News18 Gujarati |language=gu}}</ref> The association looks after the welfare of retired Air Force personnel and is also involved in community service.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-20 |title=Air Force Association of Gujarat begins 5-day menstrual hygiene awareness drive in Ahmedabad, G'nagar |url=https://navjeevanexpress.com/air-force-association-of-gujarat-begins-5-day-womans-hygiene-awareness-drive-in-ahmedabad-gnagar/ |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=Navjeevan Express |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2021-06-20 |title=Air Force veterans conducts social welfare activities under AFAG |url=https://connectgujarat.com/gujarat/air-force-veterans-conducts-social-welfare-activities-under-afag-1105539 |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=connectgujarat.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-01-30 |title=નિર્મલજિત સિંઘ શેખોન મેમોરિયલ લેક્ચર સિરીઝની બીજી આવૃત્તિ યોજાઇ |url=https://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/news/MGUJ-AHM-HMU-MAT-latest-ahmedabad-news-122003-1896757-NOR.html |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=Divya Bhaskar |language=gu}}</ref>

Desai has helped establish ''Navin Desai Residential School'' near [[Nagpur]] in [[Maharashtra]] in memory of his brother. The school provides free education to children of migrant quarry workers.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2007-11-18 |title=Now, a school for quarry workers' kids |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/now-a-school-for-quarry-workers-kids/articleshow/2549203.cms |access-date=2024-04-28 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Karelia |first=Gopi |date=2020-02-24 |title=For 30 Years, This Nagpur Man Has Rescued And Educated Children of Sex Workers! |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/216752/nagpur-prostitution-sex-worker-children-rescue-activist-hero-india-gop94/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=The Better India |language=en-US}}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Indian Air Force air marshals]]
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:Defence Services Staff College alumni]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Prakash K. Desai - Revision history

Vemareddy at 20:47, 18 June 2025